Resilient wheel.



F. l. MCNULTY.

RESILIENT WHEEL.

AEPLICATION FILED FEB,26.1918.

1,277,331. Patented Aug. 27', 191s.

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Persa: co.. Fnannmw. wAsmNa nmv o.' cA

FRANK J. MCNULTY, OF LOWELL, ARIZONA.

RESILIENT WHEEL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 27, 191s.

Original application filed October 25, 1917, Serial No. 198,430. Divided and this application filed February 26,1918. serial No. 219,243.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known'l that I, FRANKJ. MGNULTY, a citizen of the lUnited States, residing at Lowell, in the county of Cochise and State of Arizona, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Resilient Wheels; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such-as 'will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The present invention relates to resilient wheels, and more particularly to those of the inner cushioned rim type.

The present application is -.a division of my coending application Serial No. 198,480, ed October 25, 1917, vand'relates more specifically to the pneumatic cushioning means divided out of said application.

Theobject of the present invention is to' provide a, mechanical structure of resilient Wheel which possesses the same resiliency and shock-absorbing features of the pneuv matic tire, and atV the same time overcomes allof the disadvantages incident to the use of pneumatic tires, such as punctures, blowouts, and the high cost of maintenance of the same.

Another object of the invention is to provide a resilient wheel-structure embodying relatively fewparts to which access may bek readily gained for renewal ofthe parts when worn or broken, and to provide a structure wherein a relatively small pneumatic cushion may be employed for operation Aupon sliding parts to normally urge the same in one direction and to 4admit of the yielding of the parts under impact and vibration.

With these and further objects in view as will hereinafter become apparent in part and in part be stated, the invention comprises certain novel constructions, combinations and arrangements ofparts as subse quently yspecified and claimed. n

In the accompanying drawing,-

Figure 1 is a fragmentary sectional view through the peripheral portion of a wheel taken in a plane substantially at right angles to the axis of rotation` of the wheel and showing the devices of this invention. applied thereto. y

Fig. 2 is a transverse, enlarged section through the same taken substantially `on the plane indicated byline 2-2'of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a detail, perspective view of one of the pneumatic cushion blocks employed. Fi 4 is a transverse section through the whee taken substantially in a plane radial to and coincident with the axis of the wheel. showing'a modification within the scope of the present invention.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary, sectional view through the peripheral portion of the wheel taken in a plane substantially at right angles to' the axis of rotation of the wheel', and showing another slight modification in the form of the cushion and sliding blocks.

Referring to the drawing by numerals, 10 designates the spokes of a wheel body upon which is mounted a felly 11 carrying an inner rim 12. Fixed upon theinner lrim 12 is a plurality of guides 14 which may comprise castings of substantially inverted V-shape and having attaching lips 15 at opposite ends adapted to rest upon the outer peripheral surface of the rim 12, and preferably conforming to the curvature thereof. Rivets 16, of the like, pass through the lips 15 and into the rim 12 for holding the guides a place.` f v 1 The guides 14 may be provided with longitudinally extending dove-tail tongues 17, preferably interrupted at the apexV or highest point of each guide. Slide blocks 18, such as shown in detail in Fig. 3, are

mounted upon the outer inclined faces of theV guides 14, and are provided in their inner sides with dove-tail grooves 19 receiving the tongues 17 therein for interlockingA the blocks to the guides. The blocks 18 are of less length than that of the inclined faces of the guides 14, and are adapted to move longitudinally thereover to a limited extent.

rIhe guides 14 are placedupon therim 12` in end to end rabutting relation and the blocks 18 of adjacent guides are arranged in pairs andare adapted to operate toward and from each other.

Each pair of blocks 18 is provided with meansyieldingly urging the blocks apart to ride upon and outwardlyl over the inclined faces of the guides 14. As shown in the accompanying drawing, this means may comprise a resilientk block 38 located between each pair of blocks 18, and being in the form of a hollow, flexible body adapted to contain air under pressure. Theblock or body 38 has a lining 89 of rubber, or the like, surrounded by a reinforcement of canvas and rubber, corded rubber, or other suitable material, forming an outer resilient shell 40 for contact with the inner opposite faces of the adjacent blocks 18. The pneumatic block thus formed is provided in one side with a nipple 41 in which is placed an air valve 42 foradmitting air to the interior of the block 38 and maintaining the air therein under the desired pressure. A removable plug or closure 43 is secured upon the outerK n end of the nipple 41 to prevent leakage of row about the rim 12 and that alblock 38 isdisposedV over the meeting ends of the adjacent guides 14 and vthat a pair of the slide blocks 18 is disposed at opposite sides of each pneumatic block.

If desired, as shown in Fig. 5, the pneumatic block 45 may have its opposite faces converging outward from the rim 12, and the inneradjacent faces of the slide blocks 46 may be correspondingly inclined to bear directly against the pneumatic block 45, and present flat bearing faces toward the same.

This pneumatic block may be slightly modified to adapt the block to guides of various forms, and may, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, be seated on guides 47, which, instead of having the dove-tail tongues 17, may be provided with upstanding lateral flanges 48 adapted to bear against the lateral faces of the slide blocks 46 and the pneumatic block 45.

The inner rim 12 may have upon its inner face an annular tongue 49 of less width than the rim 12 and provided with dove-tail lateral edges adapted to receive correspondingly formed attaching lugs or rings 50 clamped to the opposite sides of the felly 11 by bolts 51.

`The outer peripheral surfaces of the slide blocks 18 and 46 are curved to form a concentric bearing surface for the wheel and support an outer rim 52 having inturned lateral flanges 53, the inner edges of which are beveled to provide cam faces 54. Retaining plates 55 are secured against the opposite sides of the wheel by relatively short screws 56, or the like, which pass into the flanges 53 and hold the plates thereagainst. The plates 55Kare o'set inwardly toward each other below the screws 56 to form inclined shoulders adapted to engage the cams 54 for firmly seating the plates against the opposite sides of the guides 47. The plates 55 extend beyond the outer rim 52 and have serrated or toothed inner surfaces adapted to engage in a circumferential row of wooden or otherwise suitably formed blocks 57 to which is suitably secured an outer tread 58. The tread 58 is a cushion tread formed of solid rubber, preferably corded, or otherwise suitably reinforced. The pneumatic blocks 38 or 45 are of less height than the adjacent ends of the slide blocks 18 or 46 to provide ample room for the compression of the pneumatic blocks when the slide blocks are moved toward each other.

In use, pressure exerted against the tread of the wheel forces the outer rim 52 against the adjacent slide blocks 46 and moves the same inwardly toward each other over the inclined faces of the guides 14. This movenient of the blocks 18 toward each other is resisted by the pneumatic resilient block 38 which is adapted to absorb shock and vibration.

What I claim is 1. In a resilient wheel, the combination, of inner and outer rims, guides arrangedl on one rim and having oppositely inclined faces, sliding blocks mounted onthe inclined faces of the guides and adapted to engage the other rim, and pneumatic cushions arranged between the blocks to yieldingly hold the same in wedged relation between the guides and said other rim.

2. In a resilient wheel, the combination, of inner and outer rims inclined guides mounted on one rim, wedging blocks slidable on said guides and engaging the other rim, a flexible hollow cushion block arranged between each pair of wedging blocks, and valves for said cushion blocks to admit and retain air therein to yieldingly urge the wedging blocks apart into binding relation between the guides and said other rim.

3. In a resilient wheel, the combination, of inner and outer rims, inclined guides arranged in pairs upon one rim and facing the other rim, slide blocks arranged in pairs on the guides and adapted to engage the other rim, and pneumatic cushions arranged between the pair of slide blocks for urging the latter apart over the inclined faces of the guides and against said other rim.

4. In a resilient wheel, the combination, of innerV and outer rims, pairs of inclined guides arranged on one rim, slide blocks disposed in pairs on the guides and engaging the other rim, and a pneumatic cushion arranged between each pair of slide blocks, said cushion having opposite bearing faces adapted to bear flat against the inner adjacent ends of the slide blocks, and a valve carried in the side of each cushion for admitting and maintaining air under pressure inthe cushion.

5. In a resilient wheel, the combination,

1,277,331 Y Y g of inner and outer rims, slidable members block for admitting and maintaining air 10 carried by one rim and engaging the other under pressure therein. rim, a hollow flexible block disposed be-` In testimony whereof I ax myV signature tween each pair of saii members to normally v in presence of two witnesses.

ur e the same towar said other rim, each ogsaid resilient blocks having an inner rub- FRANK J' MGNULTY ber lining and an exterior reinforced liexible Witnesses: shell for engagement Withsaid members, WM. H. TRELEAVE, and a valve carried by each flexible hollow GEORGE E; PERRY.

Copies or this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

- Washington, D. C. 

